From Lockheed Martin website:
In 2015, the F-2 became the eighth aircraft platform to be equipped with Lockheed Martin’s Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod.
Article about the pod on their website:
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Found this video of the F-15J + F-2.
Nothing really informative about it, but its probably the highest quality video I’ve seen.
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So with the Block 50 coming, XF-2, even the F-2 is more of a possibility now right?
I’m hoping we’ll see something soon as the Block 50 looks to have a limited loadout compared to IRL, which is what we’d oringally proposed for XF-2… im a little out the loop on where we currently are with it
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In my opinion, Gaijin’s excuses about not adding the XF-2A instead of the F-16J were a bunch of BS.
I think they didn’t add it because it is unique and requires it’s own modeling and FM. For this reason I expect the F-15J before the F-2.
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XF 2 has just been passed to the devs
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Yeah, I helped fireraid find info for the suggestion.
I took a break after the F-16AJ Gear door debate, so I was more curious where we were with XF-2, as the arguement of it being too advanced is slowly closing with the Block 50 coming, and that it could be revisited with the limited armament like the block 50 seems to have in the devblog video
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I’ve submitted FOIA for a number of XF-2 documents, hoping to hear back from them about these soon.
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Nice to see you are back.
Wiggles your back hey!
The differences between Block 50 & XF-2 are too massive.
Block 60 & XF-2? Closer.
In-fact, both might come out at similar times.
I think we’re within a year of F-2 tho. We’ll have plenty of F-15J time until then.
I wouldn’t say the differences are massive and I’m curious where you are getting that impression? This just feels like all the doom saying back when people were asking for the Type 10 and everyone said it would be the best tank in the game impossible to pen with 700mm+ armor, etc.
Last time the XF-2 was brought up it was purely the difference in engine power that would make the flight performance too good on the XF-2 compared to F-16As, but with the F-16C using the same engine, those arguments are not relevant anymore.
The only unknown is AESA radar, but it’s only unknown in how it will be modeled. It’s combat effectiveness in war thunder is going to be irrelevant, if there is a difference at all. There are many things war thunder simplifies for the sake of gameplay and AESA will just be one of those things. On top of all that, we can limit X/F-2 to IR only missiles and balance it that way as worst case.
They could also simply “Nerf” the radar or save the AESA Radar set to the actual release of the regular F-2A. They could thus add the XF-2A with the F16C Radar (AN/APG-68). Since I do recall a discussion about the earliest version of XF-2A having it before J/APG-1 Was completed however this is considered a speculation since I do not have any source for it. In this configuration it would not be better than the F16C and simply a trade-off. Maneuverability for Speed.
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Right, it was speculation and that’s why I’m not suggesting it, but if it ends up being true, then even more reason to bring the XF-2 in with the F-16C radar.
Precisely and it fits, in my opinion, with the nickname it has of Viper Zero. One of Japan’s iconic planes and bane to anyone who turnfights it, carrying it over to top tier with the X/F-2.
AESA radar, 2 more AAMs, and a higher G limit.
- 4x AIM-7F/M 4x AIM-9L
- In a slow turn yes
Hello!
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None of those things make it too strong compared to an F-16C.
What good is AESA? How do you expect it to work in War Thunder?
Extra AAMs? The most common loadout I’ve seen is 4 IR + 4 S/ARH which the F-16C will share.
Higher G limit? Every other aircraft shares this besides the F-16s, like the Mig-29/F-14B/(and most likely the F-15C/J). In other words you’ll get an easier time pulling lead initially but then it’s a turn fight and you won’t be pulling those high Gs anymore.
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No, it has a G-override switch that was clearly shown off.
And it’s still 6x Aim-9s at least.
AESA radar also makes the Aim-7s stronger as the radar returns they look for are stronger.
@Nagisei
F-16 is limited to 6 AAMs total.
AESA at minimum has no issues locking low-level targets, it’s allegedly immune from radar reflections from the ground.
It’s stronger than Block 50.
Yes the G-override which will function as higher g-limit in general so instead of limited to 9Gs it would be 12?Gs and as such can pull more lead at high speeds but that’s inconsequential once you start turn fighting at lower and lower speeds.
Oh okay, then sounds like an easy fix, limit the XF-2 to 6 AAMs or if it’s already limited to IR missiles, let it have 8 IR (assuming it can mount them).
Though you’d propose an F-15J which could carry 8 AAMs total and be similar performance wise to existing planes, so not sure why it would matter here on the XF-2.
Aren’t the Sparrows themselves still PD and subject to multi-pathing and issues tracking at lower altitudes?
In addition, or say they aren’t affected, okay, again we just limit the XF-2 to IR missiles now what does it matter that you have no issue locking low-level targets?
Gaijin has not limited any tech tree vehicle in total AAM count and should never start.
The precedence would be bad.
Sparrows are SARHs, they themselves don’t have radars, they have radar receivers and look for the radar frequency that launched them, the radar return from the lit aircraft.